Vernon Marsh (general), Waukesha County, WI, US - eBird Hotspot
Habitat: Marsh, Open Water (Fox River), Beaches/Mudflats, Native and Restored Grasslands, Successional Oldfields, Wet Prairie/Fen, Sedge Meadow, Conifer Bog, Oak-Hickory Forest.
Best Birds: Trumpeter Swan, Hooded Merganser, Ring-necked Pheasant, Wild Turkey, Virginia Rail, Common Gallinule, Sandhill Crane, Black-necked Stilt (rare) and other migrating shorebirds, Black, Forster’s, and Caspian Tern, Bonaparte’s Gull, American White Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, Black-crowned Night Heron, Great Egret, American Bittern, Least Bittern (rare), Cooper’s Hawk, Great-horned Owl, Eastern Screech Owl, Willow Flycatcher, Alder Flycatcher, Marsh Wren, Sedge Wren, Wood Thrush, Veery, Clay-colored, Swamp, and Field Sparrow, Orchard Oriole, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark, Dickcissel, and Scarlet Tanager .
In winter: Merlin and Northern Shrike, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Winter Wren, Pine Siskin, White-winged Crossbill, Common Redpoll.
Directions: 7 miles southwest of the City of Waukesha. There are 2 main entrances with parking lots: Frog Alley off Hwy 83 on the west side (42.90212, -88.32070) and Benson Ave. off of Hwy XX (Oakdale Rd) on the east side, (42.92307, -88.27173). From Frog Alley walk the dikes to the east or north which connect to form a 2 mile loop back to the lot. To the south the trail passes through marsh for one mile and then continues another mile through grasslands and shrubby fields to a parking lot on Veterans Way in Mukwonago, (42.87569, -88.32753). On Benson Ave. there are two parking lots, one shortly after crossing the railroad tracks and a second parking area 0.4 miles to the south closer to the marsh but it can be driven only if the gate is open. About 0.25 miles past the second parking lot are dikes along the Fox River which can be walked. Additional parking and entrances are along county roads I, XX and NN.
Site Address & Additional Information:
Frog Alley Road, Mukwonago WI
Vernon Wildlife Area | Wisconsin DNR
Anne Moretti
